Harrisburg, Pa., Jan 29, 2019 / 14:49 pm
For Catholics sympathetic to Catholic schools, the financial expense of tuition is always a concern. But continuing efforts from donors and recent programs like Pennsylvania's tax credit system are opening new ways to make tuition affordable for Catholic and other private schools.
"Many people who would benefit from a Catholic education are afraid they couldn't afford it," Dr. Greg Bisignani, an orthopedic surgeon in the Greensburg area, told the Pittsburgh Tribune. "My personal goal is no one will be able to use the excuse that they can't afford it again."
Bisignani chairs the advisory council and enrollment committee at Greensburg Central Catholic High School. He said the Diocese of Greensburg doubled its scholarship fund in 2018 and aims to grow it each year.
Pennsylvania's Education Improvement Tax Credit program, which dates to 2001, allows any company that does business in Pennsylvania and owes state taxes to apply to the program for approval to join organizations that Pennsylvania recognizes as "special purpose entities." If the application is approved, they can divert state taxes to a scholarship organization and receive business tax credits.